Themba Masuku

Themba Nhlanganiso Masuku (born 7 July 1950)[1] is a Swazi politician who has served as Deputy Prime Minister of Eswatini since 2018 and as Acting Prime Minister from 13 December 2020 to 16 July 2021.[2] Earlier, he served as Deputy Prime Minister from 2008 until 2013.

Themba Masuku
Acting Prime Minister of Eswatini
In office
13 December 2020  19 July 2021
MonarchMswati III
Preceded byAmbrose Mandvulo Dlamini
Succeeded byCleopas Dlamini
Deputy Prime Minister of Eswatini
Assumed office
6 November 2018
MonarchMswati III
Prime MinisterAmbrose Mandvulo Dlamini
himself (acting)
Cleopas Dlamini
Preceded byPaul Dlamini
In office
2008–2013
MonarchMswati III
Prime MinisterBarnabas Sibusiso Dlamini
Succeeded byPaul Dlamini
Minister for Finance
In office
November 1996  November 1998
Preceded byDerek von Wissel
Succeeded byJohn Philip Carmichael
Minister for Economic Planning and Development
In office
1993–1996
Minister for Agriculture and Cooperatives
In office
1991–1993
Personal details
Born (1950-07-07) 7 July 1950
Political partyIndependent

Early life

Masuku was born on 7 July 1950. He received his Master of Science degree from the University of Missouri.[3]

Career

In the 1990s, he filled various posts in the government of Swaziland, including Minister for Agriculture and Cooperatives, Minister for Economic Planning and Development, and Minister of Finance from 1996 to 1998.[4] He then worked with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, as director of the liaison offices in Geneva and later New York. He was appointed Deputy Prime Minister in 2008[3] by King Mswati III[5] and served in that position until 2013, when he became the regional administrator for the Shiselweni district.

Masuku returned to his position as Deputy Prime Minister when Prime Minister Ambrose Mandvulo Dlamini presented his cabinet in November 2018.[6][7] He became acting prime minister after Dlamini's death on 13 December 2020.[8] According to the Constitution of Eswatini, Themba Masuku was supposed to serve as Acting Prime Minister for a maximum period of three months.[9] In June and July 2021, amidst police and army brutality, Masuku was criticized for his handling of the 2021 Eswatini Protests against the monarchy. In a sibaya on 16 July 2021, King Mswati replaced Masuku with Cleopas Dlamini as the new prime minister.[2]

References

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